Galatians 5:22-23; I Corinthians 12:7-11 - "Giants Fall"

I woke up this morning to these words of "Giants Fall".......

Don't you be afraid
Of giants in your way
With God you know that anything's possible
So step into the fight
He's right there by your side
The stones inside your hand might be small
But watch the giants fall

I have felt like we have had giants thrown our way every since we came to Beaufort. But we have not allowed the giants deter us. Instead we have continued to rely on the Lord for His will to be revealed to us. As I was singing "The stones inside your hand might be small..." I thought of the fruit of the Spirit that resides in us. Our 'stones' have and will continue to be the gifts He gives us. It is only through living a life of holiness that these gifts are seen. It is just like planting a fruit tree. You can't plant it one day and expect fruit the next. It takes water, nourishment, pruning, etc. before fruit appear. A believer's life takes the manifestation of the Spirit operating in them before they can realize the total impact of the fruit of the Spirit. In I Corinthians 12:7-11 Paul writes about the manifestation of the Spirit...

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 

As one lives a life of holiness the Spirit will work in and through them in powerful ways. The fruit of the Spirit produces the gifts of the Spirit. This is exciting to me! Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues...woo hoo! These are all available to me as I "live God's way" (Galatians 5:22). I love that we teach our children Galatians 5:22-23 but I think many times we fail in explaining how to have these fruit. It would be amazing to see what would happen now and in the future if the children/teens grasped a life of holiness. I sure wish I would have been taught this growing up.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You, thank You, thank You!!!! You are so awesome in the reminders from Your Word and music You give me. I am so grateful for the 'stones' You provide for me to slay the 'giants' in my little world. Woo hoo! I feel like a heavy weight has been taken off my shoulders as I start this day. I was beginning to allow the physical fatigue, bills, Doc's health, etc. to take away my joy but no longer! As this song says, "Miracles can happen...anything is possible...when the giants fall!" Lord, use the 'stones' inside me today to slay the 'giants' in a way You will be glorified! Thank You for the eleven hours of sleep last night. I praise Your Holy Name for the way You will show Yourself through my words, actions and attitude today! Thank You for being My Gardener. Amen.